THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) is setting up the first of several border control facilities for agricultural imports at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone in Zambales.
In a statement on Wednesday, the DA said Secretary William D. Dar met with Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairperson Wilma T. Eisma on June 30 to discuss the proposal to use a 2,000 square meter lot at the freeport zone for a 25-year period and renewable upon mutual agreement.
“The DA and the SBMA have agreed in principle, pending approval of the SBMA Board, to establish the country’s first of the five planned so-called ‘first border control facility,’ aptly termed as the Cold Examination Facility in Agriculture,” the department said.
The other planned locations are at the ports of Manila, Batangas, Cebu, and Davao.
These facilities are intended to conduct full and thorough inspection of containerized agricultural commodities through risk assessment, together with x-ray screening by the Bureau of Customs, subjecting all agricultural and food imports to 100% sampling and laboratory testing.
“Each facility will feature controlled temperature systems that will capacitate quarantine officers to thoroughly inspect the contents of an identified high-risk containerized shipment and prevent the possible spread of hazardous biological agents, such as toxins, and radioactive elements carried by imported agricultural products,” the DA said.
The inspection facilities have a P521-million allocation from the Office of the President, according to the DA. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave